Yakushigawa Chiharu: knock, knock, knockin’ on boundaries

Yakushigawa Chiharu has developed a distinctive style of abstract painting based on the relationship between “pairs.” In her rub series, in which she applies handmade pigment to both hands and feet, pairs of two or four colors are arranged opposite one another, leaving traces that evoke her bodily movements. Positioned side by side on a single surface, the colors sometimes appear to encroach upon one another’s territory. Additionally, in her recent knock series, Yakushigawa paints the surface by knocking on it with paint-covered hands, as if signaling to an unseen counterpart on the opposite side.
This exhibition will showcase new works centered around the knock series. When confronted with Yakushigawa’s works, what might we imagine lies beyond the painted surface?

The Triangle
The Triangle (basement level of the northwest entrance, free admission) is a space newly created to mark the renewal opening of the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art. It aims to nurture and support emerging artists, while also providing a space where visitors, including citizens and tourists, can freely engage with contemporary art. As of February 2025, the space has introduced a total of 17 emerging artists associated with Kyoto. In 2025, the following four artists will be introduced. This initiative is supported through the “Charity Auction & Gala Dinner for Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.”